OF 

THE  TRUSTEES 


OF  THF. 


NEW-ENGLAND  INSTITUTION 


FOR  THE 


EDUCATION  OF  THE  BLIND 


TO 


THE  PUBLIC. 


BOSTON : 

CARTER,  HENDEE  AND  CO. 


HVH96 

•M45 


1833. 


ADDRESS 


OF 

THE  TRUSTEES 


OF  THE 

NEW-ENGLAND  INSTITUTION 


FOK  THE 


EDUCATION  OF  THE  BLIND 


THE  PUBLIC. 


BOSTON : 


CARTER,  HENDEE  AND  CO. 

1888. 


BOSTON  C0LLSC2  LIBRARY 
CHESTNUT  HIT  ' 


TV.f  A 

:  ■  J.  -v  Ks  C7* 


Boston  :  Kane  and  Co. 

127,  Washington  Street. 


TO  THE  PUBLIC. 


It  is  four  years  since  an  act  incorporating  the  Trustees  of  the 
New  England  Asylum  for  the  Blind,  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  of 
Massachusetts.  Why  so  much  delay  has  occurred  in  commencing 
operations,  will  be  duly  explained. 

The  Trustees  have  now  the  satisfaction  of  announcing,  that  their 
institution  has  been  in  actual  operation  for  five  months  ;  and  that  their 
most  sanguine  expectations  of  the  capacity  of  the  blind  for  receiving 
an  education,  have  been  fully  verified  in  the  progress  of  the  inter¬ 
esting  beings  under  their  charge.  But  before  giving  any  account  of 
the  state  of  their  Institution,  the  Trustees  beg  leave  to  make  some  gen¬ 
eral  remarks  on  the  blind  ;  on  the  light  in  which  they  have  been  held, 
and  the  manner  in  which  they  have  always  been  treated  by  their  fel¬ 
low-men. 

Blindness  has  been  in  all  ages  one  of  those  instruments  by  which  a 
mysterious  Providence  has  chosen  to  afflict  man  ;  or  rather  it  has  not 
seen  fit  to  extend  the  blessing  of  sight  to  every  member  of  the  human 
family.  In  every  country  there  exists  a  large  number  of  human 
beings,  who  are  prevented  by  want  of  sight,  from  engaging  with  advan¬ 
tage  in  the  pursuits  of  life,  and  who  are  thrown  upon  the  charity  of  their 
more  favored  fellows.  And  k  will  be  found,  that  the  proportion  is  at 
all  times  about  the  same,  in  the  same  countries  :  for  not  only  is  the 
proportion  of  those  who  shall  be  born  blind,  decreed  in  the  statutes  of 
the  Governor  of  the  world,  but  the  number  of  those  becoming  so,  by 
what  we  call  accident,  is  regulated  by  laws  as  infallible  and  invariable  : 
and  it  is  as  little  probable  that  by  any  accident,  all  mankind  should 
lose  their  eyes,  as  that  by  any  precaution  all  should  preserve  them. 
Blindness  then  is  one  of  the  evils  entailed  upon  man,  and  it  becomes 
him  to  grapple  with  it,  and  try  to  diminish  its  pernicious  effects. 

The  blind  may  be  divided  into  two  classes,  those  born  blind,  and 


4 


those  becoming  blind  by  disease  or  accident :  the  latter  class  being  in¬ 
finitely  the  most  numerous. 

The  frequency  of  blindness  varies  in  different  climates,  and  upon 
different  soils :  it  is  most  frequent  in  that  part  of  the  temperate  zone 
bordering  upon  the  torrid  :  and  decreases  as  we  approach  the  poles. 
It  has  been  ascertained  by  accurate  censuses  taken  in  different  coun¬ 
tries  of  Europe,  that  the  number  is  fearfully  great,  and  that  although 
they  are  screened  from  the  public  eye,  they  exist  in  almost  every  town 
and  village.  In  Middle  Europe,  there  is  one  blind  person  to  every 
800  inhabitants.  In  some  Austrian  provinces,  it  has  been  accurately 
ascertained,  that  there  is  one  to  every  845  inhabitants ;  in  Zurich, 
one  to  747.  Farther  north,  between  the  50th  and  70th  degree  of 
longitude,  they  exist  in  smaller  proportions  2  in  Denmark  are  found 
one  to  every  1000!  In  Prussia,  there  are  one  to  every  900.  Egypt 
is  the  country  most  afflicted  with  this  evil,  and  it  may  be  safely  cal¬ 
culated  that  there  are  there  about  one  blind  to  every  300  seeing  per¬ 
sons. 

In  our  own  country,  no  means  have  been  taken  to  ascertain  with 
exactitude  the  number  of  blind  ;  the  returns  made  by  some  censuses, 
have  been  ascertained  to  be  very  erroneous  ;  nor  is  there  any  reason 
to  suppose  that  the  laws  which  act  on  nations  under  the  same  latitude 
in  Europe,  should  be  null  here  :  indeed,  the  Trustees  have  ascertained 
that  in  some  small  towns,  not  exceeding  2000  inhabitants,  and  where 
the  census  gave  but  one  or  two  blind,  there  really  exist  four,  five,  and 
six.  These  unfortunate  beings,  sit  and  wile  their  long  night  of 
life  away,  within  doors,  unseen  and  unknown  by  the  world:  and  soci¬ 
ety  would  be  startled,  were  it  told  that  there  exist  in  its  bosom  so  many 
of  its  children  who  never  see  the  light  of  heaven  :  it  would  hardly 
credit  the  assertion  that  there  are  more  than  eight  thousand  blind  per¬ 
sons  in  these  United  States :  yet,  such  is  undoubtedly  the  case. 

The  public  must  be  ignorant  of  this  fact;  to  suppose  it  is  not  so,  and 
yet  that  it  had  done  nothing  for  so  large  a  class  of  the  afflicted,  would 
be  an  impeachment  of  its  charity,  and  its  justice  ;  and  the  Trustees  ap¬ 
peal  to  it  in  the  full  confidence  that  the  ready  answer  will  be,  ‘  what 
can  be  done  for  them?’ 

Fellow  citizens,  much  can  be  done  for  them  ;  instead  of  condemn¬ 
ing  the  poor  blind  man  to  stand  at  the  corner  of  the  street,  and  ask  for 
charity;  or  to  remain  cooped  up  within  the  walls  of  an  alms-house, 
or  to  sit  and  mope  away  his  solitary  existence  among  his  happier 
friends,  alike  a  burden  to  them  and  himself — you  may  give  to  him 
the  means  of  becoming  an  enlightened,  happy  and  useful  member 


5 


of  society  :  you  may  give  him  and  his  fellow-blind  the  means  of  earn¬ 
ing  their  own  livelihood,  or  at  least  of  doing  much  towards  it  ;  you  may 
light  the  lamp  of  knowledge  within  them,  you  may  enable  them  to 
read  the  Scriptures  themselves, 

'And  thus,  upon  the  eye-balls  of  the  blind, 

To  pour  celestial  day.’ 

All  this  you  can  do  by  the  establishment  of  institutions  for  then- 
education;  and  it  is  to  demonstrate  this  fact,  that  this  Circular  is  ad¬ 
dressed  to  you.  The  Trustees  do  not  ask  assistance  for  the  Institution 
alone,  but  they  call  upon  the  public  to  consider  the  situation  of  the 
blind  every  where,  and  every  where  to  extend  to  them  those  benefits, 
which  are  greater  than  the  most  liberal  alms  that  can  be  bestowed. 

This  is  not  a  common  call,  nor  is  it  a  common  case ;  for  the  object 
proposed,  differs  materially  from  most  charitable  establishments  ;  first, 
in  that  there  is  no  possibility  of  deception,  since  no  one  can  doubt  or 
deny  the  claim  which  the  blind  have  upon  the  charity  of  their  more 
fortunate  fellows;  and  second,  that  the  object  is  an  economical  one  to 
the  community.  It  is  to  take  from  society,  so  many  dead  weights ,  that 
it  is  proposed  to  educate  the  blind,  and  enable  them  to  get  their  own 
livelihood  :  and  society  ought  to  consider  any  capital  so  invested  as  a 
sinking  fund  for  the  redemption  of  its  charitable  debt;  as  a  provision  * 
for  preventing  the  blind  from  becoming  taxes  to  the  community.  In 
proof  of  this  the  Trustees  would  try  to  draw  the  attention  of  the  pub¬ 
lic  to  the  different  kinds  of  work  which  are  performed  by  the  blind 
in  the  different  institutions  in  Europe  :  some  of  which  may  also  be 
seen  at  the  infant  institution  under  their  direction. 

That  a  blind  man  may  become  a  first-rate  professor  of  music,  fre¬ 
quent  example  has  taught  every  one ;  it  remains  however  for  many  to 
be  convinced,  that  a  blind  man  may  become  a  good  teacher  of  mathe7 
rnatics,  the  languages,  and  almost  any  science;,  that  he  may  gain  a 
decent  livelihood  by  the  labor  of  his  hands  in  the  fabrication  of  bas¬ 
kets,  mats,  mattresses,  twine,  &c.  &c.  To  do  these  things,  he  needs 
only  an  apprenticeship  in  an  establishment  devoted,  entirely  to  this 
purpose,  and  pursuing  a  peculiar  plan  of  education  adapted  to  his 
Avants :  and  it  is  in  aid  of  their  efforts  to  establish  such  an  institution, 
that  the  Trustees  call  upon  their  fellow-citizens  for  encouragement 
and  support. 

It  is  alike  the  character  and  honor  of  our  age,  that  society  is  not 
content  with  administering  charitable  aid  to  the  distressed,  but  that 
it  seeks  to  strike  at  the  root  of  the  evil,  and  prevent  its  recurrence,; 
it  remains  yet  for  our  country  to  apply  this  principle  to  the  pauperism 


of  the  blind.  It  is  not  now  the  time  to  discuss  the  direct  and  indirect 
tendency  of  blindness  to  produce  pauperism;  suffice  it  to  say  the 
blind  are  generally  paupers  :  they  have  always  been  so,  and  the  place 
to  seek  the  blind,  has  always  been  at  the  way-side  begging  for  alms. 
Nothing  was  done  for  their  education  until  about  forty  years  ago, 
when  the  humane  Abbe  Ilauy  undertook  to  educate  some  blind 
children  in  his  own  house,  and  his  success  was  so  great,  that  the  Gov* 
ernment  of  France  employed  him  to  establish  an  institution  in  Paris. 
This  he  did,  and  it  became  so  interesting  an  object  that  lie  was  called 
by  the  Emperor  of  Russia  to  St.  Petersburg  for  a  similar  purpose;  and 
after  successfully  putting  his  system  into  operation  there,  he  laid  the 
foundation  of  a  school  for  the  blind  at  Berlin.  He  invented  the  method 
of  printing  in  raised  characters,  made  tangible  and  sensible  to  the 
blind ;  he  also  constructed  maps,  musical  notes,  &c.  but  left  the  sub¬ 
ject  in  a  very  imperfect  state  at  his  death. 

Similar  institutions  have  been  since  founded,  and  are  in  successful 
operation  in  Amsterdam,  Vienna,  Dresden,  London,  Edinburgh,  Glas¬ 
gow,  Liverpool  and  other  places ;  the  condition  and  operation  of 
which  have  been  thus  noticed  in  a  Report  made  to  the  Trustees  by 
Dr.  S.  G.  Howe. 

‘  The  European  institutions  for  the  education  of  the  blind  may  be 
divided  into  two  classes ;  those  established  and  supported  by  the 
Governments,  and  those  which  owe  their  foundation  and  support  to 
the  charitable  efforts  of  individuals ;  the  latter  are  by  far  more  useful 
than  the  former. 

There  can  be  no  more  delightful  spectacle  than  is  presented  by 
these  establishments,  where  you  may  see  a  hundred  young  blind 
persons,  changed  from  listless,  inactive,  helpless  beings, — into  intelli¬ 
gent,  active,  and  happy  ones  ;  they  run  about,  and  pursue  their  dif¬ 
ferent  kinds  of  work  with  eager  industry  and  surprising  success : 
when  engaged  in  intellectual  pursuits,  the  awakened  mind  is  painted 
in  their  intelligent  countenances;  and  when  the  whole  unite  in  sacred 
music,  there  is  a  display  of  deep  felt  interest,  of  fervid  zeal,  and  anb 
mating  enthusiasm,  which  I  have  never  seen  equalled. 

‘The  proposed  end  of  these  different  institutions  is  to  give  to  the 
blind  the  means  of  supporting  themselves;  and  this  is  effected  with 
different  degrees  of  success. 

‘I  visited  all  the  principal  institutions  for  the  education  of  the  blind 
in  Europe,  and  found  in  all  much  to  admire  and  to  copy,  but  much 
also  to  avoid. 

Those  institutions,  which  are  founded  and  supported  by  the  Govern- 


7 


ineiit,  labor  under  many  disadvantages  necessarily  attendant  upon  such 
a  connexion  ;  and  it  may  be  said  without  injustice  to  the  persons  em¬ 
ployed,  that  they  are  obliged  to  follow  such  a  system,  and  make  such 
exhibitions,  as  will  redound  rather  to  the  glory  of  the  State  than  the 
good  of  the  pupils.  Hence  so  much  of  useless  parade  and  show — hence 
so  much  time  and  patience  spent  upon  learning  to  perform  surprising 
but  useless  things.  Those  on  the  other  hand,  which  are  kept  up  by 
individual  effort  and  public  benevolence,  fall  into  the  error  of  consider¬ 
ing  their  pupils  too  much  as  objects  of  charity,  and  of  petting  and  ca¬ 
ressing  them  too  much. 

‘  The  Institution  for  the  Education  of  the  Blind  at  Paris,  as  it  is  the 
oldest,  and  as  there  is  about  it  more  of  show  and  parade  than  any  oth¬ 
er  in  Europe,  has  also  the  reputation  of  being  the  best  ;  but  if  one 
judges  the  tree  by  its  fruit,  and  not  by  its  flowers  and  foliage,  this 
will  not  be  his  conclusion. 

‘  Its  founder  and  the  great  benefactor  of  the  blind,  the  Abbe  Hauy, 
invented  and  put  into  practice  many  contrivances  for  the  education  of 
the  blind;  and  otherwise  rendered  the  institution  excellent  for  the 
age,  and  the  time  it  had  existed  ;  but  as  he  left  it  so  it  has  since  remain¬ 
ed.  It  receives,  supports  and  educates  about  a  hundred  blind  youth  ; 
and  there  being  no  other  in  France,  it  follows  that  there  are  only  one 
in  300  of  their  blind  who  receive  an  education.  The  great  fault 
in  the  Parisian  Institution,  is  the  diversity  of  employment  to  which  the 
pupils  are  put ;  and  the  effort  made  to  enable  them  to  perform  surpris¬ 
ing  but  useless  tricks.  The  same  degree  of  intellectual  educa¬ 
tion  is  given  to  all,  without  reference  to  their  destination  in  life ;  and 
a  poor  boy,  who  is  to  get  his  livelihood  by  weaving  or  whip  making,  is  as 
well  instructed  in  mathematics,  and  polite  literature,  as  he  who  is  to 
pursue  a  literary  career.  Now  there  is  no  reason  why  a  shoe  maker, 
or  a  basket  maker  should  not  be  well  educated  ;  provided  he  can  learn 
his  profession  thoroughly,  and  find  the  necessary  leisure  for  study.  But 
if  this  would  be  difficult  for  a  seeing  person,  how  much  more  is  it  so  for 
a  blind  one,  who  to  attain  any  degree  of  excellence  in  a  trade,  must 
apply  himself  most  intensely  and  most  patiently.  The  necessity  of  this 
is  made  apparent  by  the  situation  of  those  youths,  who  come  out  from 
the  Institutional  the  end  of  the  seven  years  passed  there  ;  they  have  de¬ 
voted  five  hours  per  day  to  mechanical  employment,  but  to  so  many  dif¬ 
ferent  ones,  that  they  know  but  little  of  any.  Weaving,  whip  making, 
mat,  and  net  making,  and  spinning,  &c  &c.  have  so  effectually 
divided  their  attention,  that  at  the  end  of  the  year  devoted  to  learning 


s 


the  one,  they  liave  almost  entirely  forgotten  that  which  they  acquired 
the  year  before. 

‘It  has  however  with  all  its  faults  been  productive  of  great  good,  and 
lias  sent  out  many  pupils  who  are  not  only  well  educated  and  happy 
men,  but  most  useful  members  of  society  :  among  others  may  be  cited 
Mr.  Paingeon,  the  celebrated  Professor  of  Mathematics  at  the  Univer¬ 
sity  of  Angiers.  This  interesting  young  blind  man  came  forward  as 
a  candidate  in  the  public  controversy  for  the  prizes  in  Mathemat¬ 
ics  at  Paris  ; — and  after  carrying  them  all  off,  was  named  to  the  profes¬ 
sorial  chair  at  Angiers. 

‘  There  are  iti  Germany  five  institutions  for  the  education  of  the 
blind,  which  are  carried  to  different  degrees  of  perfection  :  some  are 
under  the  direction  indeed  of  men  of  science,  but  who  are  cramped 
in  their  exertions  by  various  causes;  others  however  are  less  fortu¬ 
nate. 

‘  The  one  at  Dresden  foi*  instance,  is  under  the  management  of  a 
most  excellent  lady,  but  whose  only  merit  is  extreme  kindness  to  her 
interesting  charges ;  the  intellectual  education  of  the  pupils  is  almost 
entirely  disregarded;  and  they  are  not  taught  to  read  or  write  :  nor 
am  I  aware  that  if  she  had  the  disposition,  she  would  have  the  power, 
of  giving  them  a  better  intellectual  education. 

‘  The  Institution  of  Berlin,  under  the  direction  of  the  excellent  Pro¬ 
fessor  Zeune,  is  better  managed  ;  but  that  gentleman  cannot  carry  his 
views  into  operation ;  for  instance,  he  is  obliged  to  employ  seeing 
teachers,  because  a  commissioner  wills  it,  where  blind  persons  in  his 
own  opinion  might  perform  the  duty  infinitely  better.  How  often  is 
it  the  case  that  in  institutions  of  various  kinds,  the  practical  knowl¬ 
edge  and  experience  of  those  immediately  engaged  are  overruled  by 
those  who  look  into  the  subject  but  once  or  twice  a  year,  and  insist 
upon  directing  the  whole. 

‘  It  may  be  safely  said,  that  none  are  so  well  fitted  for  teaching  the 
blind,  as  the  blind  themselves ;  nay  !  more,  the  blind  can  become 
most  excellent  teachers  of  seeing  persons  :  I  have  known  a  blind  per¬ 
son  manage  a  class  of  twelve  seeing  boys  to  perfection ;  and  what  was 
astonishing,  he  had  sufficient  moral  influence  over  them  to  keep  them 
in  the  greatest  order,  and  prevent  them  from  playing  those  tricks 
which  boys  will  do  when  their  master  does  not  see  them. 

‘  I11  Berlin  Institution,  as  always  must  be  the  case  in  well  regu¬ 
lated  ones,  great  attention  is  paid  to  instructing  the  blind  in  music.  Who 
does  not  know  that  the  blind  generally  evince  greater  capacity  and  in- 


9 


clination  for  music  than  seeing  persons  ;  and  who  can  doubt,  that  the 
blind  man  who  has  acquired  his  knowledge  of  music  scientifically,  may 
teach  it  scientifically  also,  and  thus  fill  a  useful  sphere  in  society  ? 

‘  The  Institution  owes  its  existence  indirectly  to  the  illustrious  Hauy 
who  passed  through  that  place  on  his  way  to  St.  Petersburg,  whither 
he  was  summoned  by  the  Autocrat  to  establish  an  institution  for  the 
education  of  the  blind.  This  latter,  however,  though  founded  and  en¬ 
couraged  by  an  emperor,  has  fallen  into  decay  while  the  Berlin  es¬ 
tablishment  is  continued  almost  solely  by  the  philanthropic  labors 
and  hearty  zeal  of  a  few  simple  citizens. 

‘  In  the  Berlin  Institution,  though  the  pupils  are  taught  to  read  and 
write,  they  have  very  few  printed  books  ;  and  the  information  is  given 
orally.  This  arises  however  from  the  expense  of  books,  and  not  from 
any  doubt  of their  utility;  in  fact  Professor  Zeune  exerts  himself  to  the 
utmost  to  increase  his  library  for  the  blind. 

•j 

‘  He  prints  with  types  filled  with  pin  points.  The  pupils  are  taught 
also  geography,  history,  languages,  and  the  mathematical  as  well  as 
lighter  sciences.  The  time  is  partly  occupied  in  learning  different  trades  ; 
and  on  the  whole  the  pupils  are  as  well,  if  not  better  qualified  to  make 
their  way  in  the  world,  as  those  from  the  Paris  Institution.  There 
are  four  similar  institutions  in  Germany,  the  best,  of  which  seems  that 
of  Vienna  ;  there  is  also  an  excellent  one  in  Zurich,  which  I  did  not 
visit. 

‘  The  Institution  for  Indigent  Blind  in  London,  is  an  excellent  and 
most  charitable  establishment,  and  productive  of  great  good. 

‘  It  is  indeed  a  most  delightful  sight  to  see  so  many  blind  youth 
assembled  in  the  work-shops,  all  neatly  clad,  and  with  smiling  faces, 
busily  employed  at  their  different  trades  ;  and  all  earning  a  large  part 
of  their  livelihood,  by  their  own  labor.  Instead  of  the  solitary  helpless 
being  which  we  so  often  see,  the  blind  here  presents  us  the  spectacle 
of  an  active,  industrious  and  happy  youth,  who,  finding  constant  occu¬ 
pation  in  the  exercise  of  his  physical  powers,  and  being  buoyed  by  the 
hope  of  rendering  himself  independent  of  charity,  has  no  time  and 
no  inclination  for  repining  at  his  lot,  or  for  drawing  unpleasant  com¬ 
parisons  between  himself  and  those  about  him. 

‘  The  Institution  in  London  is  intended  merely  for  indigent  blind, 
and  their  intellectual  education  is  not  at  all  attended  to;  nor  do  they 
occupy  themselves  about  any  thing  but  their  trades,  with  the  exception 
of  a  little  music.  There  seems  to  be  a  doubt  in  the  minds  of  the  person 
who  directs  the  Institution,  of  the  utility  of  teaching  the  youths  to 
2 


10 


read  themselves,  by  means  of  raised  letters ;  which  is  singular  enough 
to  one  accustomed  to  see  the  immense  usefulness  and  pleasure  afford¬ 
ed  to  the  blind  by  the  use  of  these  books. 

‘  The  doubt  is  apt  to  be  raised  however  only  by  good  men  who  ques¬ 
tion  the  utility  of  knowledge  in  any  person,  beyond  the  strict 
demands  of  his  calling.  It  is  said,  that  they  can  always  have  the  as¬ 
sistance  of  a  seeing  person  to  read  to  them  ;  but  besides  that  the  blind 
cannot  always  have  such  a  person  at  their  elbow,  there  is  infinitely 
more  pleasure  and  advantage  to  be  derived  from  feeling  out  the  letters 
themselves.  They  can  stop,  and  go  back,  or  read  over  a  passage 
a  dozen  times,  reflect  upon  it  as  long  as  they  choose,  and  refer  to  it  on 
any  occasion. 

‘  In  mathematical  studies  particularly,  where  only  a  few  brief  pro¬ 
blems  and  rules  are  given,  books  printed  with  raised  letters  for  the  use 
of  the  blind  are  almost  indispensably  necessary.  The  advantage,  nay  ! 
the  necessity,  ofprinting  the  Gospel  in  raised  letters  for  the  use  of  the 
blind  will  be  apparent  to  every  thinking  Christian.  Here  is  a  large 
number  of  our  fellow  creatures  within  our  reach,  who  might  be  sup¬ 
plied  with  the  New  Testament  at  small  expense,  compared  with  that 
laid  out  in  sending  it  among  distant  heathen. 

‘  It  may  be  said  indeed,  that  the  blind  can  hear  the  bible  read  by 
their  friends,  while  the  heathen  cannot;  but  on  the  other  hand  let  one 
consider  what  a  precious  treasure  a  copy  of  the  Testament  in  raised 
letters  would  be  10  a  blind  man ;  he  would  pore  over  it,  read  and  re¬ 
read  it,  until  every  word  became  familiar ;  and  how  much  greater 
probability  there  would  be  of  its  producing  a  good  effect  than  in  the 
hands  of  those  who  have  a  thousand  other  things  to  occupy  their 
thoughts.  Then  too,  let  one  consider  the  all-important  nature  of  the 
study  ;  and  how  jealous  one  should  be  of  trusting  to  aught  but  the  cool 
decision  of  his  own  reason. 

‘  In  fine,  let  any  pious  Christian  put  the  case  to  himself  and  say, 
whether  he  could  be  content  with  having  the  scriptures  read  by  an¬ 
other  ;  whether  he  could  abstain  from  feasting  his  eyes  on  God’s  sa¬ 
cred  pages  ;  or  refrain  from  shutting  himself  up  in  his  closet  with  his 
Maker,  and  his  revealed  Word.’ 

‘  What  his  eyes  are  to  him,  the  fingers  are  to  the  man  deprived  of 
sight,  and  to  the  one  equally  as  to  the  other,  is  solitary  reading  and 
reflection  a  useful  and  healthful  exercise.’ 

‘  Nor  to  the  blind  alone  would  the  scriptures  printed  in  raised  letters 
be  a  precious  treasure ;  there  are  many  people  who  from  weak- 


II 


ness  or  temporary  derangement  of  the  organs  of  sight,  would  be  happy 
to  spare  their  eyes  and  read  with  their  fingers.  The  acquisition  of 
this  faculty  is  not  at  all  difficult,  any  person  may  in  three  or  four  days 
enable  himself  to  feel  out  very  easily  the  raised  letters,  and  read  pretty 
fast.’ 

‘  I  mentioned  in  a  letter  from  Europe  to  your  sub-committee  a  plan 
which  1  had  conceived  of  publishing  one  of  the  Evangelists  in  raised 
characters  ;  without  now  detailing  on  all  the  methods  which  I  would  sub¬ 
stitute  for  those  hitherto  used,  I  may  say,  that  it  is  founded  upon  the  only 
principle  which  can  possibly  obviate  the  immense  inconvenience  of  bulk 
and  expense,  viz.  that  of  contraction  or  stenography  ;  a  principle 
which  if  acted  up  to,  may  I  am  convinced,  render  books  for  the  blind 
as  cheap  and  as  compact  as  those  printed  for  our  use.  Whether  this 
system  shall  substitute  tangible  for  the  visible  forms  ofletters,  or  whether 
the  symbols  shall  represent  sounds,  is  a  secondary  question.’ 

‘  The  Institution  at  Edinburgh  is  on  the  whole  the  best  I  saw  in 
Europe,  it  comes  nearer  than  any  other  to  the  attainment  of  the  great 
object  of  blind  schools,  viz.  enabling  the  pupils  to  support  themselves 
by  their  own  efforts  in  after  life.  The  establishment  is  not  so  showy 
as  that  at  Paris,  nor  has  it  the  same  means  which  the  latter  possesses, 
and  which  receives  an  allowance  of 60, 000  francs,  or  $12,000  per  annum 
from  Government :  nor  has  it  printed  books  for  their  use ;  still  they  re¬ 
ceive  most  excellent  education  and  learn  some  most  useful  trades. 
The  matress  and  matmaking  business  are  carried  on  by  the  pupils  with 
great  skill  and  success,  and  many  are  enabled  to  earn  per  diem  nearly 
enough  for  their  subsistence.  They  are  mostly  day  scholars,  and  re¬ 
ceive  a  sum  of  money  in  proportion  to  the  work  they  do. 

‘  The  mat  and  mattresses  which  come  out  of  the  Institution,  and 
which  are  entirely  the  work  of  the  blind,  are  certainly  better  made 
than  any  others  in  the  city,  and  command  a  higher  price  in  the  market. 
The  pupils  are  occupied  also  with  making  baskets,  which  is  a  clean  and 
pleasant  employment,  but  not  altogether  so  profitable  as  the  others.  They 
display  great  ingenuity,  and  finish  very  fine  and  difficult  pieces  of  bas¬ 
ket  work,  but  it  is  a  branch  in  which  they  have  less  chance  of  success¬ 
ful  competition  with  seeing  persons.  Indeed,  one  great  fault  in  the 
systems  generally  followed  in  Europe,  is  the  attempt  to  counterbalance 
the  natural  infirmity  of  the  pupil  by  his  ingenuity,  his  patience,  and  the 
excessive  nicety  of  his  remaining  senses,  and  to  enable  him  to  com¬ 
pete  with  seeing  persons  in  spite  of  the  advantage  they  have  over  him. 
Now  this  ought  not  to  be  the  leading  principle ;  on  the  contrary, 


12 


taking  it  for  granted  that  the  seeing  person  ever  must  have  an  immense 
advantage  over  the  blind,  in  all  handicraft  works  whatsoever,  we  should 
seek  out  for  him  such  employment  as  least  requires  the  use  of  the 
eyes. 

‘  There  are  some  occupations,  such  as  kniting,  weaving,  &c.  which 
a  blind  person  may  perform  nearly  as  well  as  a  seeing  one,  but  in  the 
present  age,  the  introduction  of  machinery  has  surperseded  in  a  great 
measure  this  kind  of  labor.  In  matmaking,  the  blind  man  can  nearly 
compete  with  the  seeing  one,  and  therefore  should  it  be  taught  him, 
as  a  means  of  making  himself  useful  and  necessary  toothers;  for  after  all 
the  efforts  of  charitable  men,  this  unfortunate  class  will  ever  be  in  a  pre¬ 
carious  situation,  until  they  can  become  so  useful  as  to  command  atten¬ 
tion  :  men  are  charitable  by  fits  and  starts  only,  but  self-interest  never 
sleeps;  if  the  blind  can  appeal  to  this,  they  are  sure  of  being  heard. 

‘  Many  of  the  pupils  in  the  Edinburgh  Institution  are,  as  I  observed, 
day  scholars ;  that  is,  they  reside  with  their  friends,  and  come  in  to 
work  and  study  every  day,  and  an  allowance  is  made  to  them  propor¬ 
tioned  to  the  work  they  do,  if  this  is  adequate  to  their  support. 

‘  I  would  observe,  that  sufficient  attention  is  not  paid  to  the  personal 
demeanor  of  the  blind,  either  by  their  parents,  or  in  the  public  insti¬ 
tutions  ;  they  contract  disagreeable  habits,  either  in  posture,  or  in 
movement ;  they  swing  their  hands,  or  work  their  heads,  or  reel  their 
bodies  ;  and  seem  in  this  way  to  occupy  those  moments  of  void, 
which  seeing  persons  pass  in  listlessly  gazing  about  them. 

‘  They  are  apt  also  to  be  exceedingly  awkward  and  embarrassed  in 
company,  and  are  often  very  bashful  while  very  vain  ;  all  this  can  be 
corrected  by  pursuing  the  same  means  as  used  with  seeing  children, 
and  by  accustoming  them  to  society. 

1  Blind  persons  can  become  as  well  qualified  as  seeing  persons  for 
many  employments  which  are  generally  thought  beyond  their  powers, 
they  can  teach  languages,  history,  geography,  mathematics,  and  many 
other  sciences,  perfectly  well ;  I  know  not  why  they  should  not  make 
the  first  rate  councillors,  and  think  it  possible  that  they  might  fill  the 
pulpit  both  ably  and  usefully. 

4 1  have  the  pleasure  of  calling  my  friend,  Monsieur  Rodenbach,  mem¬ 
ber  of  the  Belgian  Congress :  a  man  who  possesses  great  influence, 
and  who  often  makes  that  house  ring  with  original  and  naive  speeches  ; 
he  is  an  agreeable  orator,  and  an  active  business  man,  and  a  graceful 
member  of  society,  and  yet  has  been  stone-blind  from  his  childhood. 

‘  I  hope  that  the  blind  will  not  have  to  struggle  against  unfounded 


13 


prejudices  in  our  country,  yet  much  do  I  fear  that  they  will  ;  people 
are  so  accustomed  to  consider  the  blind  as  helpless  dependents  on  oth¬ 
ers,  that  they  will  not  believe  them  capable  of  a  high  and  useful  part 
in  society  ;  and  when  they  see  one  of  them,  who  by  uncommon  talent, 
struggles  and  raises  his  head  a  little  in  the  world,  in  spite  of  the  weight 
by  which  society  would  sink  him  beneath  its  surface,  they  regard  him 
as  a  passing  wonder,  and  draw  no  inference  in  favor  of  his  fellows  in 
misfortune.  That  great  mathematician  and  philosopher,  the  illustrious 
Saunderson,  Professor  at  Cambridge,  who  deserves  a  niche  in  the  tem¬ 
ple  of  fame  between  Newton  and  Laplace,  drew  one  of  his  athe¬ 
istical  arguments  from  the  false  opinion  of  men  concerning  his  powers  ; 
he  said  to  a  clergyman  on  his  deathbed,  “  you  would  fain  have  me  al¬ 
low  the  force  of  your  arguments  drawn  from  the  wonders  of  the  visible 
creation  ;  but  may  it  not  be,  that  they  only  seem  to  you  wonderful ,  for 
you  and  other  men,  have  always  been  wondering  how  I  could  accom¬ 
plish  many  things,  which  seem  to  me  perfectly  simple.” 

*  But  to  return  to  our  notice  of  the  different  institutions  :  that  at  Edin-r 
burgh  is  certainly  superior  to  any  in  England,  and  on  the  whole  is  so 
to  that  of  Paris,  and  were  it  now  in  place,  I  might  detail  to  you  many 
curious  and  interesting  processes  for  facilitating  the  education  of  the 
blind;  the  general  principle  however  is  to  combine  intellectual  and 
physical  education  in  such  a  way,  as  to  qualify  the  blind  for  the  per¬ 
formance  of  a  useful  part  in  the  world  ;  and  of  so  storing  the  mind 
with  knowledge,  that  they  may  have  a  fund  within  themselves  from 
which  to  draw  in  after  life. 

‘  The  school  at  Glasgow,  is  a  more  recent  one,  and  is  not  yet  equal 
to  the  one  in  Edinburgh  in  the  advantages  of  intellectual  education 
which  it  offers. 

‘  The  Liverpool  school  is  remarkable  for  the  very  great  degree  of  at~. 
tention  which  is  paid  to  the  cultivation  of  the  musical  talents  of  the 
blind,  and  for  their  astonishing  success  in  it.  An  idea  may  be  had  of 
their  proficiency  from  the  fact,  that  the  product  of  their  concerts  is 
about  $3,500  annually. 

‘  I  shall  take  care  to  put  into  the  hands  of  your  committee,  a  more 
detailed  notice  of  the  different  establishments  which  I  have  visited,  and 
I  now  close  by  respectfully  submitting  to  you  the  conclusions  at  which 
I  have  arrived  respecting  the  general  management  of  your  proposed 
institution. 

‘  Keeping  steadily  in  view  the  principal  object,  qualifying  the  blind  to 
act  a  useful  part  in  society,  one  ought  to  adapt  his  education  to  the 


14 


sphere  which  the  pupil  will  fill ;  choosing  for  every  one  the  occupa¬ 
tion  in  which  the  least  possible  necessity  exists  for  the  use  of  the 
eyes. 

‘Those  who  are  fortunate  enough  to  be  above  any  pecuniary  wants, 
may  occupy  themselves  entirely  with  the  development  of  their  mental 
faculties,  and  the  acquisition  of  all  kinds  of  knowledge;  alternating  their 
studies  only  with  such  mechanical  employments  as  may  be  necessary 
for  physical  health.  I  can  conceive  nothing  more  delightful  than 
watching  and  administering  to  the  intellectual  wants  of  a  blind  person 
of  good  parts,  as  they  gradually  unfold  themselves  ;  and  enabling  him 
to  wander  at  will  among  the  fields  of  fancy  and  science.  Such  a 
person  may  attain  a  knowledge  of  the  classics*  of  ancient  and  modern 
languages,  and  of  almost  all  kinds  of  science.  There  is  nothing  to 
prevent  his  becoming  an  elegant  and  accomplished  scholar,  and  of  being 
qualified  to  adorn  society,  as  well  as  to  be  a  contented  and  happy 
being  himself.  Think  of  such  a  person,  and  compare  him  with  one 
sitting  in  intellectual  and  physical  darkness,  and  say  whether  it  is  not 
worth  while  persevering  in  your  undertaking. 

*  In  the  education  of  indigent  blind  children,  or  of  those  whose  prin¬ 
cipal  dependence  must  be  on  themselves,  I  should  hope  that  our  insti¬ 
tution  will  avoid  the  extremes  into  which  the  French  fall  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  English  on  the  other.  We  should  depend  entirely  nei¬ 
ther  upon  physical  nor  intellectual  education,  nor  should  we  lay  down 
any  general  rule  to  be  observed  towards  all  pupils.  One  ought  to  be 
even  more  observant  of  the  bent  of  a  blind  boy’s  mind,  and  the  direc¬ 
tion  of  his  talent,  than  he  is  in  the  education  of  seeing  children. 

‘  Considering  handicraft  work  to  be  the  occupatioa  in  which  the 
blind  can  compete  to  less  advantage  with  seeing  men  than  any  other,  it 
should  be  resorted  to  only  in  the  case  of  those  who  manifest  no  decided 
talent  for  anything  else.  Among  twenty  blind  youth,  there  will  prob¬ 
ably  be  found  four  who  possess  a  decided  musical  talent,  this  then 
should  be  assiduously  cultivated,  music  should  be  their  principal  study, 
and  they  should  devote  as  much  time  as  possible  to  it. 

‘  If  one  or  two  should  exhibit  a  strong  inclination  for  mathematical 
studies,  or  display  what  may  be  called  the  teaching  propensity,  that  is 
the  talent  for  communicating  their  knowledge,  they  should  have  these 
powers  cultivated ;  they  will  surely  do  better  by  them  in  the  world, 
than  by  making  baskets  or  mats. 

‘  The  majority  whose  talents  are  but  ordinary  should  be  taught  some 
mechanical  arts,  such  as  mat,  basket  or  matress  making,  and  they 


15 


should  make  it  the  chief  object  of  their  education  to  attain  an  excel¬ 
lence  in  them.  I  would  not  indeed  prevent  their  learning  to  read  and 
write,  or  acquiring  a  store  of  intellectual  knowledge,  but  it  should  not 
be  allowed  to  impede  their  way  in  learning  their  trade. 

‘  I  have  often  wondered,  when  in  the  workshops  of  the  European 
blind  institutions,  that  they  did  not  have  some  one  reading  in  the  room, 
while  the  pupils  are  at  work.  I  do  not  believe  that  it  would  materi¬ 
ally  take  off  their  attention  from  their  occupation,  and  if  they  did  not 
profit  much  from  the  reading,  they  would  do  so  to  a  certain  degree. 

‘  The  pupils  who  are  to  learn  thoroughly  any  handicraft  work,  should 
not  have  their  attention  too  much  distracted  by  a  multiplicity  of 
occupations;  it  is  true  that  there  are  some  advantages  attending  the 
French  method  of  teaching  the  children  a  half  a  dozen  trades,  as  there 
are  advantages  attending  almost  every  bad  system  :  but  they  by  no 
means  outweigh  the  immense  disadvantage  of  the  want  of  that  excel¬ 
lence  in  one  trade  which  can  only  be  acquired  by  strict  and  undivided 
attention  to  it. 

(As  the  children  destined  to  a  trade  should  not  devote  too  much  of 
their  time  to  intellectual  pursuits,  so  on  the  other  hand  those  educated 
for  a  higher  occupation  should  not  be  left  unacquainted  with  some 
mechanical  occupations  ;  they  cannot  have  their  mental  powers  always 
on  the  stretch,  and  as  they  have  the  same  means  of  amusement  as 
seeing  children,  they  must  be  provided  with  some  means  of  getting  the 
necessary  exercise  and  recreation. 

‘  This  may  be  obviated  by  a  regular  attention  to  work,  and  by  intro¬ 
ducing  many  amusements  among  them. 

‘  I  have  often  observed  with  a  delighted  eye  the  movement  of  the 
blind  boys  in  Paris  as  they  leave  the  Institution  to  go  to  play ;  each 
grasps  a  cord  held  by  a  seeing  boy,  and  follows  him  rapidly  and 
unhesitatingl}'  through  narrow  streets,  until  they  enter  the  immense 
“  Garden  of  Plants,”  when  quitting  the  string  they  runaway  among 
the  trees,  and  frolic  and  play  together  with  all  the  zest  and  enjoyment 
of  seeing  children.  They  know  every  tree  and  shrub,  they  career  it  up 
one  alley  and  down  another,  they  chase,  catch,  overthrow  and  knock 
each  other  about,  exactly  like  seeing  boys  ;  and  to  judge  by  their  laugh¬ 
ing  faces,  their  wild  and  unrestrained  gestures,  and  their  loud  and  hearty 
shouts,  they  partake  equally  the  delightful  exitement  of  boyish  play. 

‘  It  appears  to  me  very  probable,  that  the  delicacy  of  health  so  often 
the  lot  of  the  blind,  is  owing  to  the  want  of  proper  circulation  of  the 
blood  ;  they  being  much  of  the  time  in  a  state  of  physical  and  mental  rest. 


16 


‘  We  must  also  adapt  our  Institution  to  local  circumstances,  and  in  our 
workshops  try  to  produce  those  articles  best  adapted  for  sale  in  our  mar¬ 
ket.  1  have  no  doubt  that  the  profit  of  work  done  in  this  country  by  the 
blind  will  be  infinitely  greater  than  in  any  other,  owing  to  the  higher 
price  of  labor  ;  and  if  one  cannot  make  a  blind  man  approach  any 
nearer  to  the  seeing  workman  in  the  amount  of  his  gains,  yet,  thanks 
to  Providence,  the  gains  of  a  laboring  man  with  us  are  not  so  stinted 
that  he  would  starve  on  their  being  diminished  one  quarter.’ 

In  submitting  to  the  public  this  extract  of  the  Report  of  Dr.  Ilowe, 
the  Trustees  are  aware,  that  they  are  furnishing  to  cavillers  some  oppor¬ 
tunity  of  objecting  to  their  infant  establishment,  on  the  ground  that  it 
is  so  difficult,  even  in  Europe,  to  bring  them  to  that  degree  of  perfection 
which  enables  them  to  pay  their  own  way ;  but  besides  that  the  Trustees 
are  unwilling  to  suppress  any  evidence  in  the  case,  they  are  convinced 
that  they  can  steer  clear  of  many  of  the  difficulties,  which  are  to  be 
encountered  abroad,  and  they  insist  that  too  much  consideration  can¬ 
not  be  given  to  the  fact,  that  they  will  have  fewer  obstacles  to  en¬ 
counter,  and  more  circumstances  to  favor  them  than  their  predeces¬ 
sors.  It  cannot  be  that  in  these  United  States  there  exists  a  parish 
which  would  not  give  a  salary  to  a  blind  organist,  in  preference  to  a 
seeing  one,  provided  they  were  equally  well  qualified,  yet  in  Europe 
this  is  the  case.  There  is  not  here  this  fixed  prejudice  to  struggle  with, 
nor  yet  the  immense  obstacle  of  the  low  price  of  labor,  which  in 
many  parts  of  Europe  is  in  direct  ratio  to  the  means  absolutely  necessary 
for  supporting  life. 

They  have  too  the  light  and  experience  which  the  others  did  not, 
and  can  profit  by  their  experiments,  successful  and  unsuccessful. 

The  Trustees  are  well  aware  that  the  advantages  of  an  education 

o 

cannot  be  extended  to  ail  the  blind  ;  and  it  is  in  the  hope  of  doing 
some  little  good  to  them,  that  the  attention  of  their  relatives  is  invited 
to  some  remarks  on  the  subject  of  the  domestic  education  of  the 
blind. 

‘  There  is  a  great  error  prevalent  among  those  who  have  friends  or 
relations  deprived  of  their  sight;  and  who  imagine  that  too  much  kind¬ 
ness,  or  too  much  attention  cannot  be  lavished  upon  them.  This  is 
entirely  a  mistake,  and  it  is  quite  certain  that  the  greatest  obstacle  to 
the  education  of  the  blind  children  who  are  received  into  the  Euro¬ 
pean  institutions,  is,  that  their  previous  treatment  has  been  such  as  to 
prevent  the  development  of  their  remaining  senses. 

‘Parents  absolutely  smother  the  faculties  of  a  blind  child  in  kind- 


17 


nesses ;  ( the  poor  dear  thing5  is  blind,  say  they,  ‘  it  cannot  feed  itself; 
it  is  blind,’  ‘  and  cannot  dress  itself and  if  it  ventures  across  the  floor 
alone,  the  anxious  mother  runs  and  silently  removes  every  obstacle, 
instead  of  teaching  it  a  lesson  by  letting  it  run  against  them  ;  and  bye 
and  bye,  when  she  is  not  near  the  child  it  may  severely  hurt  itself  by 
falling  over  something  of  which  it  never  dreamed. 

Then  the  blind  are  continually  addressed  in  a  strain  of  pity, — they 
are  reminded  every  moment  of  their  misfortune,  and  taught  to  believe 
themselves  inferior  to  their  fellows,  and  burdens  upon  society. 

Now  nothing  can  be  more  injurious  than  such  treatment  of  blind 
children,  and  ‘  It  is  all  important  to  disseminate’  in  the  community 
useful  knowledge  on  the  subject  of  infantile  and  earfy  education  ; 
the  mother  is  the  most  influential  teacher  in  the  world  ;  and  if  few 
have  correct  ideas  of  their  influence,  and  their  duties  as  teachers  of 
their  seeing  children,  we  may  say  that  almost  none  understand  how 
to  act  their  parts  in  relation  to  a  blind  infant.  The  compassion  of  the 
woman,  the  affection  of  the  mother,  doubly  claimed  by  the  misfortune 
of  her  infant,  grows  into  fond  doting  ;  and  as  the  anxious  bird  in  its 
eagerness  to  warm  its  shivering  nestling,  may  stifle  it  beneath  its  feath¬ 
ers,  so  the  mother  of  the  blind  child  renders  it  doubly  helpless  by  an 
excess  of  solicitude  about  it ;  by  preventing  it  from  supplying  its  own 
wants,  or  putting  forth  any  of  its  own  energies.* 

‘  It  should  be  strongly  impressed  upon  the  mother  of  the  blind  child, 
that  she  ought  to  do  nothing  for  it,  which  it  can  by  any  possible  pains 
do  for  itself ;  she  should  allow  it  to  roam  about  where  it  will ;  there 
is  no  fear  of  her  suffering  it  to  come  to  any  serious  harm  ;  there  is 
no  danger  that  the  tendrils  of  maternal  affection  should  fail  to  twine 
about  the  frail  plant,  but  there  is  danger  that  they  may  encircle  it  so 
closely,  as  to  stint  forever  its  growth. 

*  It  would  be  useless  to  quote  the  immense  attainments  of  many  blind 
persons,  who  have  had  the  advantages  of  a  proper  education,  or  have 
been  endowed  with  great  talents,  for  such  examples  would  rather  tend 
to  discourage  many  blind  than  induce  them  to  strive  at  imitation  ; 
but  I  may  notice  what  I  have  repeatedly  seen  ;  the  extraordinary  dif¬ 
ference  between  blind  youth  possessing  the  same  natural  ad¬ 
vantages  but  differently  treated  by  their  parents.  I  have  known  young 
men  who  could  not  walk  out  without  a  guide,  nor  occupy  themselves 
in  any  handicraft  work,  and  who  could  not  even  dress  or  feed  them- 
'  selves ;  they  were  moping,  helpless  dependents,  sitting  bowed  under 


3 


*  Dr.  Howe’s  Report. 


18 

the  weight  of  an  infirmity,  and  the  consciousness  of  their  inferiority, 
which  was  recalled  at  every  movement  by  the  officiousness  of  their 
friends ;  they  were  alike  useless  to  themselves,  and  burdensome  to 
those  about  them. 

‘  I  have  known  others  too  without  greater  natural  advantages,  who 
required  little  more  personal  attendance  than  seeing  persons,  who 
never  were  assisted  in  shaving,  or  dressing,  or  feeding  themselves,  or 
going  about  in  the  neighboring  houses  ;  who  could  go  all  over  a  city ; 
nay,  who  could  ride  on  horseback  in  the  country,  and  mingle  with 
grace  and  spirit  in  the  waltz,  and  the  other  amusements  of  society. 
These  young  men  prided  themselves  in  dispensing  with  the  services 
of  those  about  them  as  much  as  possible,  and  would  take  quite  in  high 
dudgeon  any  speech  of  condolence,  or  any  allusions  to  their  infirmity. 

‘  In  fact  a  blind  youth  should  not  be  reminded  of  his  infirmity, 
nor  taught  to  consider  himself  as  inferior  to  his  fellows;  it  is  not 
only  useless  but  discouraging,  and  his  abilities  ought  to  be  directed  to 
the  development  of  those  of  his  senses  which  remain  to  him.  He 
ought  to  be  made  to  attend  to  all  his  own  personal  wants  and  comforts, 
he  ought  to  be  left  to  puzzle  and  grope  out  as  many  things  as  possible, 
and  to  be  left  rather  in  perplexity  for  an  hour,  than  receive  assistance 
in  the  accomplishment  of  any  thing  which  it  is  morally  possible  for 
him  to  do.  And  let  me  say  that  they  can  accomplish  many  things 
which  to  an  unattentive  observer  would  seem  impossible ;  it  would 
be  hard,  for  instance,  to  convince  many  people  that  a  blind  man  can 
by  the  sound  of  his  voice  ascertain  whether  a  table  or  a  sofa  had  been 
removed  from  a  room  which  he  had  much  frequented  ;  that  he  can 
tell  pretty  correctly  the  age  and  size  of  a  person  from  hearing  him 
speak  ;  or  that  he  will  correctly  judge  the  character  of  another  from 
the  intonation  of  his  voice  in  a  conversation;  that  he  can  attain  as 
much  excellence  in  mathematical,  geographical,  astronomical  and 
other  sciences  as  many  seeing  persons,  and  that  he  can  become  as  good 
a  teacher  of  music,  language,  mathematics  and  other  sciences,  yet  all 
this,  and  more,  can  he  do.’ 

The  Trustees  have  endeavored  to  base  their  institution  upon  broad 
and  scientific  principles,  and  have  spared  no  pains  to  commence  aright. 
They  have  procured  from  France,  one  of  the  most  accomplished  young 
men  who  have  been  educated  at  the  Paris  Institution  for  the  Blind  ;  a 
young  man  whose  acquirements  in  the  classics,  in  history,  mathematics, 
and  general  knowledge,  would  do  credit  to  any  seeing  person  of  his 
age.  He  combines  also  with  this,  the  talent  of  communicating  his 
knowledge  to  others. 


19 


The  Trustees  earnestly  beg  the  attention  of  the  public  to  this  fact, 
which  they  consider  of  great  importance,  viz.  the  superiority  of  the 
blind  to  seeing  persons  as  teachers  of  the  blind ;  they  agree  with  Dr. 
Howe,  that  no  person  can  so  well  understand  and  overcome  the  dif¬ 
ficulties  which  a  blind  child  has  to  encounter  in  learning,  as  one  who 
had  to  encounter  and  overcome  them  himself.  ‘  I  should  consider,’ 
says  he,  ‘  a  school  for  the  blind  without  blind  teachers,  as  necessarily 
imperfect.’ 

The  Trustees  have  also  procured  from  Edinburgh  a  blind  mechanic, 
who  teaches  different  kinds  of  work,  which  may  now  be  seen  at  the  In¬ 
stitution. 

They  flatter  themselves  that  they  have  already  introduced  into  their 
Institution,  some  important  improvements  in  the  method  of  teaching 
the  blind  ;  as  one  instance,  they  would  refer  to  the  map  at  the  end 
of  this  pamphlet,  which  is  on  a  plan  entirely  new,  and  unknown  in 
Europe.  There  the  maps  are  made  with  infinite  pains  and  expense,  by 
glueing  strings  on  to  another  map,  pasted  on  a  board  :  besides  the 
great  expense  and  necessary  clumsiness  of  which,  they  do  not  admit 
of  the  divisions  and  the  lettering,  which  are  here  introduced.  A  map 
of  this  size  would  cost  at  Paris  and  Edinburgh  five  dollars;  and  it 
would  weigh  three  or  four  pounds,  and  not  have  half  as  many  distinc¬ 
tions  as  this,  which  costs  less  than  the  one  hundredth  part  of  that  sum. 

The  Trustees  deem  it  unnecessary  to  go  into  any  particular  detail 
of  the  method  of  instruction  pursued  at  their  Institution  ;  the  speci¬ 
mens  at  the  end  of  this  pamphlet,  the  raised  letters,  the  musical  notes, 
&/C.  indicate  that  the  touch  is  the  sense  upon  which  the  blind  depend, 
for  the  acquirement  of  their  knowledge.  Their  apparatus  is  as  per¬ 
fect,  to  say  the  least,  as  that  of  any  other  institution,  and  they  confi¬ 
dently  hope  for  success,  in  accomplishing  the  object  proposed  by  ed¬ 
ucating  the  blind. 

Fully  satisfied  as  the  Trustees  were  themselves,  of  the  capacity  of 
this  neglected  class  for  receiving  an  education,  they  were  determined 
to  prove  it  by  experiment  before  making  a  call  upon  the  public :  on 
the  return  therefore  of  their  agent  from  Europe  with  the  blind  teach¬ 
ers,  they  took  seven  blind  persons  from  different  parts  of  this  state,  vary¬ 
ing  in  age  from  six  to  twenty  years.  These  children  taken  at  random, 
have  now  been  under  instruction  nearly  five  months,  and  can  read 
correctly  with  their  fingers  books  printed  for  their  use ;  they  learn 
.  arithmetic  faster  than  the  generality  of  seeing  children  :  they  acquire 
more  correct  and  definite  notions  of  geography  from  their  maps  than 
seeing  children  can,  since  they  are  unassisted  by  the  written 


20 


names  ;  and  their  progress  in  music  is  decidedly  great.  In  regard  to 
manual  labor,  some  of  the  pupils  can  already  fabricate  moccasins  and 
door  mats,  which  are  as  strong  and  durable,  and  as  handsome  in  appear¬ 
ance,  as  those  made  and  sold  in  our  shops. 

Finally,  the  Trustees  consider  that  they  have  accomplished  the  most 
difficult  part  of  the  task  in  putting  their  institution  into  actual  opera¬ 
tion  ;  they  have  planted  the  tree — it  depends  upon  a  generous  public  to 
water  it  and  rear  it  ;  and  they  will  only  add,  that  if  there  be  the  slight¬ 
est  hesitation  in  the  mind  of  any  one  about  the  propriety  of  encour¬ 
aging  the  charity — if  there  be  any  one  who  shall  entertain  the  shadow 
of  a  doubt  of  the  utility  of  their  Institution,  its  doors  are  open,  let  him 
come  and  see  for  himself. 


N.  B.  The  Institution  is  located  at  No.  140,  Pleasant  St.  and  may  be  seen  Thursday 
afternoons,  from  three  to  five,  by  a  permit  from  one  of  the  Trustees,  or  from  the  Super- 
intendant,  Dr.  S.  Gi  Howe. 

N.  B.  The  lithograph  appended  is  a  fac  simile  of  the  hand-writing  of  the  blind  teacher. 


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